Powerful Men 2: Four More Alphas Who Seize Control by Carla Kane Page A

bother,’ she said. She smiled again. ‘Ok, well I think you have everything you need for the meantime. If anybody calls asking for Jon tell them he’s in a meeting and take down the message on your notepad. Oh yeah, he wants you to make reservations for three at De Niro’s for two pm. He’s taking Bob Haggard and Chalky Chambers of General Motors out to lunch.’
    ‘Got it,’ Suzie said, sitting back down at her desk.
    ‘Good,’ June replied, ‘ok, well if you need me for anything, you know where to find me. Good luck.’
    For the next two hours not much else happened. There were a few phone calls for Jon, but nothing that sounded too important. She watched as the representatives from Poppie’s Nuts filed into the conference room, led by two of the executives she’d seen in the elevator earlier. They jostled and coddled around the Poppie’s Nuts guys as if they were trying to make them feel as pampered and important as possible while they made their way to the meeting.
    Suzie made the reservations for Jon’s lunch meeting and then settled down, waiting for something else of interest to happen. After another hour, the Poppie’s Nuts guys stepped out of the conference room with Jon Sugar and Tommy Harlan – all of them laughing like old friends – and shook hands as they parted.
    Jon gave her a slight, humorless smile as he stepped back into his office. He paused in the doorway and turned around.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘what was your name again?’
    ‘Suzie Armstrong, Mr. Sugar sir,’ Suzie replied, smiling professionally.
    ‘Of course,’ Jon said, ‘Suzie. I must apologize, I had a bit of a late night last night. Suzie did you make reservations for De Niro’s ?’
    ‘Yes, two pm.’
    ‘Good,’ Jon answered. He pushed open the door again. ‘Don’t let anybody disturb me,’ he said and went back inside.
    ‘Yes sir,’ Suzie nodded and got back to trying to look professional at her desk.
    Thirty minutes later, the three young executives appeared at Jon’s door, plus the one she’d seen feeling up the pool girl too – George, she seemed to recall his name was.
    ‘Well aren’t you just pretty as a picture,’ he smiled as they came up to her desk.
    Suzie smiled shyly.
    ‘Is Jon in?’ William asked.
    ‘Yes, but he asked not to be disturbed.’
    The men laughed and exchanged mischievous glances. ‘Oh don’t worry, we’re not going to disturb him,’ Teddy smiled, ‘we just want to talk to him is all.’
    James pushed opened the door and made to go in.
    ‘Gentlemen please ! ’ Suzie called, but they ignored her and filed into his office.
    Ten minutes later they were out again, smoking cigarettes and horseplaying like schoolboys. Jon Sugar appeared at the door.
    ‘Dammit Suzie, I told you not to let anybody disturb me.’
    ‘I tried – ’ Suzie began.
    ‘Whatever,’ Jon dismissed, ‘I’m going out to lunch. When I get back there’s some stuff I want to go over with you so don’t leave without me. I may be a little late.’
    ‘Yes sir Mr. Sugar,’ Suzie said, ‘I’m sorry I didn’t stop them.’
    ‘It’s ok,’ Jon muttered and then took his trench coat and hat from the rack.
    As he walked away towards the elevators Suzie thought that he looked as handsome as Cary Grant and as hip a Humphrey Bogart in his sophisticated get-up. There was something about the man that put her in awe of him. He seemed to stand so distant and apart from the rest of his colleagues.
    As the evening wore on, there was no sign of Jon Sugar back at the office. He hadn’t called or sent word at all, one way or another, about why he hadn’t returned. As closing time drew near, Suzie began to get worried. Perhaps he’d had some kind of accident.
    She asked one of the other girls to watch her desk for a moment while she went to find June.
    ‘Does De Niro’s have a bar?’ June asked when Suzie told her of her predicament.
    ‘I think so,’ Suzie said.
    ‘Well then that’s where Jon Sugar